Posted by Karla Hall on October 19, 2009 at 8:49 AM
We were able to experience the beauty of Twin Falls Saturday. I have a new appreciation for the rescue crews that got Ed out of there. On a good day it is a tough hike, but carrying out someone would be brutal. A great big thanks to all those who volunteered. We will be getting a spot also. We were able to follow the well marked "Ed Cooley" trail in and out. We underestimated the time it would take to hike, so there was not a lot of shooting time, but still managed to bang off a few decent shots. Next time we will camp and come in from the campground! I'm still a little sore from having to straddle downed trees. Being 5'3 has it's down side!
Really beautiful Karla. I like the way you composed this one. Man I really am suprised how long this creek has held out with this much water in it. I've never hiked in from the top sounds always stayed away from it. I know what you mean being fairly short with a short inseam those trees can be a real pain.
Posted by Tom Kennon on October 19, 2009 at 9:27 AM
Very nice composition, Karla. As Gale pointed out, still a lot of flow at this level. By the way the gauge on Richland was 2.8 feet for reference. I never hiked in from the cemetery but every description so far as been brutal! How long did it take you to hike in and out?
Nice one Karla. I really like this water level. It's so interesting to see the difference of photos with different water levels just a few days apart. It has held the water a lot longer than I thought. So how well is the "Ed Cooley Trail" marked after you get off the old road and start going down toward the creek?
I see that you are in Conway. So am I.
Posted by Karla Hall on October 19, 2009 at 11:15 AM
To respond to the hike situation...This is the first time we have ever used this trail. The actual trail has lots of downed trees. We had to do a lot of zigzagging to get around it, which adds time. We also had to park at the top of the dirt road because we don't have 4 wheeldrive. That adds .8 miles.Had I been familiar with the area, it would be a lot easier I'm sure, like it is for those likeTim that have used it many times. The hike in took around 1 1/2 and the hike out took around 2. Keep in mind, I am a weekender who sits at a computer for 9 hours a day, 5 days a week! I also managed to tweek a muscle straddling a tree in my hip area, so I had to deal with that on the way out. The trail is flagged all the way in right now thanks to the rescue and for a first timer, I was thankful for the flags. The last part of the trail is the toughest going down into the valley. Other than that and the tree situation, it's not too terribly bad. It is the shortest route and in high water, I would use it again. In lower water situations, definitely would go the other way.
Posted by Bill Dark on October 19, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Beautiful shot Karla. Like Matt, I really prefer the lower water level - around 2.5 feet on the USGS gage at Witt Springs.
After making six trips down this trail over the past month or so, my legs have gotten used to it. I didn't even break a sweat coming up yesterday. Of course, all those pounds of fat that I've lost probably help too. With the exception of one extended detour of about 300 feet and some fallen trees to step over and duck under, the trail looks pretty much like it did before the ice storm. Like you said, there are quite a few zig zags, but nothing that can't be negotiated relatively easily. You should have seen it in August! I think Matthew Kennedy mentioned that it was practically impassable back in May. If you think the tree situation is bad here, you should try Bowers Hollow...FWIW, it is actually a longer route than from the campground.
Posted by John Moore on October 19, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Lovely scene Karla, I like your take on it. Did y'all run into any other photographers or hikers Saturday?
Posted by Karla Hall on October 19, 2009 at 12:20 PM
John...We ran in to Bill...He was on his way out when we were on our way in..Met up right before the descend into the falls...Saw 2 sets of hikers and a group of horse riders where up on the falls and had to wait for them to clear out before I could shoot. I'm with you Bill on the water levels.
Posted by Brad Mangas on October 19, 2009 at 1:20 PM
Nice shot Karla. I like the comp. I sort of struggled to find a comp I liked when I was here a little over a week ago. I tried hiking in from the cemetery in May and went probably a half mile in two hours. Worst trip of my life. I spent most of it tangled, tripped and on the ground. The trail looks a million times better now. Illegal or not Bill, thanks for the work on the trail.
P.S. Bowers is not nearly as bad as it was in May. The couple of big trees towards the end of the trail just before you drop down the hill are still in the way but other than that the trail isn't to bad. I well beaten path has been established and it just goes around most of the damage.
Hey Bill how about an image from one of your six trips into the falls.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on October 20, 2009 at 3:19 PM
This spot has been getting some serious exposure lately. And now that I know what is involved to get to this spot it makes the photos all the more impressive. Good work Karla and congrats on making the long trek in/out.
Posted by Aaron Szabo on October 25, 2009 at 12:01 PM
This is a nice shot of Twin Falls! It looks like you went at the perfect time.
Posted by Bob Wyatt on October 25, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Karla,
After my aborted attempt last week with Glenn and the rescue I ws determined to get back in there. A friend of mine and I started at 7 AM Sat morning and we got to the falls about 11 AM. Most of the trail markers are gone..we only saw about 7-8. The white tape that should mark the drop down to the falls spot was certainly gone. When we finally decided to drop down we felt it was too steep and so we kept working to the right and ended up dropping down into the creek arm about 100 uyards upstream from the falls. Then it took us about 20 minutes to figure out to climb up the bluff above the falls and find the easy way down.
Spent about an hour shooting shots in the bright clear blue sky. My SinghRay VAriND did let me make some usable images. Even so all the color is gone down low. The hillsides above still had lots of gold and tan very little red.
The creek bottoms are very slick so if we had doen it the way Tim describes we would have had a lot more falls. The hike uphill out to the top of the ridge and the logging trail was the toughest 20 minutes of my life!
Ther was a big goup of UA students who backpacked in and stayed very close to where the logging trail crosses the biggest side drainage(still running at a very high level-lots of shots in there still I am sure). On our way out we only saw about 3 markers so I am thinking in the spirit of conservation they may have picked them up as trash on their way in?
If you got to the falls in 1 1/2 hours on your first trip there I salute you!
.
On the way out about 2:30 we met a couple in their sixties who were obviously not ready for the journey. The lady had had one knee replaced and is getting her second one done in a few months. I steered them over to the Triple Falls by Camp Orr and in return they ferryed my partner and I up to my truck at the start of the road to the cemetary.
Posted by Karla Hall on October 25, 2009 at 6:09 PM
Bob...Sorry to hear the flags are gone..It did make it a lot faster for us first-timers, otherwise I would venture to say it would have taken quite a bit longer to get there. Glad to hear you steer those people away from that. No one with knee issues should do that trip.
Wish you could have been at the gathering this weekend. We had a great time!
Posted by Bob Wyatt on October 25, 2009 at 7:31 PM
The deal was that I LEFT my camera/bag and tripod in Gelnn Wheelers jeep last weekend and I had to get those back and try an fit in one shooting day. So I picked them up at Glenns house about 0530 SAt morning and he had to go to Colorfest in Ponca and run his booth there. My daughters' volleyball team will be vying for a second straight state championship on Tuesday and my wife is the site coordinator. So I am her chief cook and bottle washer. She needed me today to help as much as possible. I certainly plan to hit one or both of the meetups next year. I really want to put names with faces!
Discussion
15 repliesI see that you are in Conway. So am I.
After making six trips down this trail over the past month or so, my legs have gotten used to it. I didn't even break a sweat coming up yesterday. Of course, all those pounds of fat that I've lost probably help too. With the exception of one extended detour of about 300 feet and some fallen trees to step over and duck under, the trail looks pretty much like it did before the ice storm. Like you said, there are quite a few zig zags, but nothing that can't be negotiated relatively easily. You should have seen it in August! I think Matthew Kennedy mentioned that it was practically impassable back in May. If you think the tree situation is bad here, you should try Bowers Hollow...FWIW, it is actually a longer route than from the campground.
P.S. Bowers is not nearly as bad as it was in May. The couple of big trees towards the end of the trail just before you drop down the hill are still in the way but other than that the trail isn't to bad. I well beaten path has been established and it just goes around most of the damage.
After my aborted attempt last week with Glenn and the rescue I ws determined to get back in there. A friend of mine and I started at 7 AM Sat morning and we got to the falls about 11 AM. Most of the trail markers are gone..we only saw about 7-8. The white tape that should mark the drop down to the falls spot was certainly gone. When we finally decided to drop down we felt it was too steep and so we kept working to the right and ended up dropping down into the creek arm about 100 uyards upstream from the falls. Then it took us about 20 minutes to figure out to climb up the bluff above the falls and find the easy way down.
Spent about an hour shooting shots in the bright clear blue sky. My SinghRay VAriND did let me make some usable images. Even so all the color is gone down low. The hillsides above still had lots of gold and tan very little red.
The creek bottoms are very slick so if we had doen it the way Tim describes we would have had a lot more falls. The hike uphill out to the top of the ridge and the logging trail was the toughest 20 minutes of my life!
Ther was a big goup of UA students who backpacked in and stayed very close to where the logging trail crosses the biggest side drainage(still running at a very high level-lots of shots in there still I am sure). On our way out we only saw about 3 markers so I am thinking in the spirit of conservation they may have picked them up as trash on their way in?
If you got to the falls in 1 1/2 hours on your first trip there I salute you!
.
On the way out about 2:30 we met a couple in their sixties who were obviously not ready for the journey. The lady had had one knee replaced and is getting her second one done in a few months. I steered them over to the Triple Falls by Camp Orr and in return they ferryed my partner and I up to my truck at the start of the road to the cemetary.
Wish you could have been at the gathering this weekend. We had a great time!